The Legacy of the Uncharted

~Chapater 67 ~ The Silent Signals Before the Storm

The Stormbelt winds howled against the cliffs of Greywater Cove, a hidden inlet carved between jagged stone walls where no Navy scout dared fly. Three ships rested in silence on calm, dark water:

Galen's ship with its frost-blue lanterns.
Elara's sleek vessel, trimmed with stormsteel.
Eli's wounded but stubborn Mariner's Whisper.

A single bonfire burned on the shore, its light bouncing off the rock walls as three of the most hunted pirates in the world gathered in the shadows.

Elara arrived first, cloak whipping behind her as she stepped into the fire's glow.
Galen stood with his arms crossed, eyes icy but alert.
Eli approached last, silent, heavy with exhaustion and worry.

For a moment, the three only stared at each other.
They had never been allies.
Today, the sea forced them to be.

Elara broke the silence.

"How badly is the Whisper damaged?"

Eli ran a hand through his hair. "The hull is sealed. Rudder's fixed. We're still patching the starboard cannons. She'll sail, but if the Navy finds us today... she won't outrun anything."

Galen nodded. "Be grateful she's afloat. Half the fleets I passed this week were ash."

Elara crossed her arms. "I lost two of my scouts. Code Purple made every port a death trap. They're starving the seas to choke us out."

Galen tossed a folded map onto a rock. "My mission wasn't much better. The Navy pulled half their northern forces to new bases, all fortified, all crawling with elite officers. Whatever they're planning, they want us cornered before they move."

Eli exhaled. "We're running out of time. And out of places to hide."

Elara looked between them. "And we still don't know where Alex is."

A quiet, heavy pause hung between them.

Eli's fists clenched. Galen glanced away. Elara's jaw tightened.

None of them said it, but all three knew:

The oceans felt wrong without her.

Galen broke the silence first.

"We're preparing an army of a thousand. Fighters, builders, scouts, engineers. My crews are spreading word to old ports and free islands. We'll need more ships, more powder, more medics."

Elara added, "I've secured weapons from the Storm Markets. Stormsteel shot, shock charges, long-range bolts. Enough to tear through Navy shields. But we need manpower, and we need it soon."

Eli nodded. "I've been recruiting from outlaw towns. People hate Code Purple. They're ready to fight. But..."

He hesitated.

"...not all of them trust us working together."

"Then they'll learn," Galen said simply.

Elara looked at both men. "We have three missions still in progress. Mine is gathering weapon caches. Galen's building the thousand. Eli is rebuilding the Whisper and gathering loyal fighters. Nothing changes."

Eli stepped closer to the fire.

"That was before the message."

Galen's expression sharpened.

Elara nodded once. "Let's hear it again."

Eli pulled out a small crystal device. He set it on a stone, and the faint recorded voice played:

"To Galen, Elara, and Eli...
We broke through a Navy stronghold.
We hit their council meeting.
We want alliance.
We have information the Navy would kill for.
Choose a meeting point and send back the code.
Use Code Emberline.
The Navy won't intercept."